Mixing valve



Patented Oct. 13, 1925.

WILFRED mno'ULnAu, 0F QUINCY, MASSACHUSETTS' 'f ,MIXINGvALvn npiicauon nieu nugst 22, '19231, semina. ssasoo.

ther opened hotvvater is gradually admitted until when the valve is fully opened ythe 110W vof cold Water is stopped and only hot ivfater is permitted to flow'. l v I v One of the objects of the invention is to provide a valve of the class describedl having a n'ovelvarrangement of parts such that the valve is of extremely simple structure'. I

' A further object of the invention is to provide a valve 'ofi theV class describedin which the hot and vcold Water are thoroughly mixed Within the` valve all parts 'of the stream of Water 'emerging from 'the valve are of equal temperature.

'Other objects and features of the invention will more fully :appear from the following descriptionl and will be particularly pointed outin the claims. Y

f In order to give an understanding of the invention I have illustrated` in y.the drawings' a selected embodiment thereof which "will now be described after which the novel -fea' tures Will be pointed out inthe appended claims. Y

rlhe drawings illustrate inv section p`rel erred form of construction of 'the mixingl valve and lembody the broad principles of the invention. y v

In the dravvingsf y 1 visl a section on I Fig. 2 is :a section on 'line 2%2. Fig. 3; `Fig. 3 is a section on 4line'-TB, Fig.V 2. l. As illustrated hereinfthe mixing lvalve comprises a 'casing '1"haviug thei'einj two transverse partitions 2 and 3 which'Ijd'ivideV the interior of the' casing into a -h'otl Waffen chamber'l, a cold Water chamber 5, and any outlet chamber 6. The :partition 2 is pro-` I ber lin a radial direction which is transverse vided with a` port 7 and `the partition is provided with a .port `Slt() vpermit VAthe` pas-L This invention relates to va mixing valve sage of Water therethrough. A threaded.

opening@ communicates 4with the lhot water chamber morder that a hot Water service pipe, not'shovvn, may conve-y hot Water into the hot water chamber oi the valve.)- Similar openings 10 and 11 con'iiiiiinicate'with the cold ivaterchamberjfand*ontlet '(:l'raln-l ber respectively so` that lcold water may .'lze conveyed to the cold Water chamber and' the mixed Water may' be 'conveyed vfrom the outlet chamber to' thepoin't Sit'vrhiehi't is desired foruse. The partition-2 is extended.

at l2 to join tle'p'artition 3 in order to form the outside-Waller the cold Water ch-amber and divide the cold water chamberfroin the hot Water chamber. y

An lannular longitudinally extending sleeve 13 surrounds the port S in the partition 3 and is of such a size that the Walls of the sleeve lit closely against the Walls of the portl 8 to prevent'the leakage 'of water betweenthe sleeve and the Walls of the port. The sleeve extends parallel Vwith l,the nortion 12of the partition 2 joins the par'- tition 2 thusV forming the inner yWall of the cold Water chamber'. The hollow interiorthe port 7 inthe partition A2'so that liotfwater,

may` flow vfrom the yhot* Water fchlan'iber through theport 7 to enter the niixing chamber 14 Where it ismixed with the cold Witter which enters the mixing chamber through the portsl. Thus theanniilar vrsleeve forms a mixing chamber. Within the cold Water chamber with its open ends j oining'the twoi partitions around they ports Tand :8 therein and has a plurality of ports through its n f' 'l Walls adjacent the outlet, chamber ,ivl'ii'ch vlinel-fl, Fig. 3;' y The-mixing chamloerjis in line i"vith thehot I Water 'chamberand' the outlet chamber, "and" communicatevviththe cold iv'at'er chamber.

comrnuiiicates'therevvith at either e'n'dvvhei'efl y by theY (het water *flws vlengtudlimuy through said'miXing chamber butthe :Cold l to the .ow .of Vnot water.V

lio

A valve 16 operates within the sleeve to control the fiow of hot water and cold water into the mixing chamber. The valve head has walls 17 which fit tightly against the inner walls of the sleeve to prevent passage of the water between the sleeve and the valve. The valve is provided with ports 18 to permit hot water which enters through the port 7 into the passage 19 above the valve to pass into the mixing chamber which is below the valve. It will thus be seen that in order to enter the mixing chamber'the ho-t water must pass through the port 7, through the passage 19 a-nd then through the ports 18 in the valve from which it emerges into the mixing chamber in a plurality of streams depending upon the number of ports 18 flowing parallel with the wall of the sleeve 18. In order to prevent the flow of hot water through the port 7 a valve seat 20 is formed around the port on that portion of the partition 2 adjacent the valve and a washer 21 is fitted in a recess in the valve for engagement with the valve seat 2O in order'to form a tight joint at the valve seat and effectively prevent the fiow of water when in engagement with the valve seat.

In order to prevent the passage of water from the mixing chamber a second valve seat 22 is formed on the partition 3 surrounding the port 8 and a flangel 23 is formed on the valve for engagement with the valve seat 22. A washer 24 of a suitable size isgearried by the flange 23 for engagement with the.v

valve seat 22 for absolutely preventing the be formed integral with the valve but is preferably a separate part and fastened to the valve by means of screws 25. The flange 23 must be so placed on the valve that the washer 24 engages with the valve seat 22 at the same instant that the washer 21 engages with the valve seat 20 Thus when the parts are in the position shown in, Figs. 1 and 2 the valve seat 2O and washer 21 prevent the flow of hot water into the mixing chamber and the valve seat 22 and washer 24 prevent the flow of cold water, which fills the mixing chamber through the `ports 15, from the mixing chamber into the outlet chamber.

When the valve is first opened the flange 23 and washer 24 move away from the valve seat 22 yandlpermit cold water to pass from the mixing chamber around the valve seat 22 and into the outlet chamber by means of the passage 26. When the valve is thus opened the washer 21 moves away from the valve seat 20 and hot water would be permitted to pass from the hot water chamber into the mixing chamber, but to prevent this a plug 27 is fastened to the valve and closes the port 7 in the partition 2. This plug has walls 28 which closelyengage the walls of the port 7 and prevent the passage of an appreciable amount of hot waterv from the chamber 4 into the passage 19 until the plug is withdrawn from the port 7. The end of the plug is of conical shape, having sloping walls 29, so that when the walls 28 of the plug are withdrawn from engagement with the walls of the port 7 hot water is permitted to pass through the port in amounts depending upon the size of the opening between the walls 29 of the end of the plug and the walls of the port 7. Thus when the valve is opened slightly cold water is permitted to pass into the outlet chamber as hereinbefore described but the passage of hot water is prevented until the valve is moved far enough for the walls 28 of the plug to'become disengaged from the walls of the port 7 and the passage of hot water is permitted in increasing amounts the further the valve is withdrawn.

The plug is retained on the valve by means of a screw 30, the head ofwhich engages with the valve and the threaded end of which screws into the plug. The plug may be provided with a stem 31 and the valve may be provided with an opening extending therethrough to receive the stem of the valve and permit the passage of the threaded end of the screw into the threaded opening in the stem of the plug but retain the head of the screw against the walls of the opening. rllhe plug may also be used as a means to retain the washer 21 in position on the valve and U A.to this end the stem of the plug is made of passage of water from the mixing chamber when the valve is closed. The flange 28 may such a size that a shoulder is formed thereon for engagement with the washer.4

In order to decrease and finally stop the flow of cold water into the mixing chamber, the valve is withdrawn so that the-walls 17 thereof gradually pass over the ports 15 in the sleeve thus gradually closing the ports 15 and gradually stopping the flow of cold water from the cold water chamber into the mixing chamber. It is readily seen that when the walls 17 are gradually closing the ports 15 to prevent the fiow of cold water, the conical end of the plug 27 is being Wirthdrawn from the port 7 to permit the increased flow of hot water fro-m the hot water chamber into the mixing chamber through the passage 19 and ports 18, and also that when the ports 15 are entirely closed the port- 7 is fully open with the result that only hot water is passing through the mixing chamber. By adjusting the posit-ion o-f the valve, varying relative amounts ofhot and cold waterV are permitted to pass into the mixing chamber so that the valve `in one position only cold water passes from the outlet chamber and in another position 'only hot water passes from the outlet chamber while in any intermediate positions, mixed water with varyingl amounts of hot and cold water is permitted to pass.

In 'order tothoroughly mix the hot-and cold water when they pass into the mixingchamber, the valve .has a lportion 32 opposite fthe cold water is directed against the flow olf hot water ,to `secure a very thorough mixing. of the hotand cold water. rllhus .the hot water flowing through the ports 18 in the valve fand impinging .upon the surface 32 is thrown out- .l wa-I'dly toward Ithe ports 15 while .the 'cold Ay very water entering 'through 'the ports 15 has movement transverse of the flowof hotwate-r and, due to theaction of the surface 32, also has movement against the flow of hot water. thoroughmixing of the hot andcold water is .thns accomplished. Y

The valve is moved by means of a rod y33 having a ,flanged head 84: thereon whichis rotatably" retained within the valve. In

Y order .to retain ythe head with-in fthe valve,

, 23.. The casing is inclosed a .sleeve 35 may conveniently be placed against the edgesl of the head and retained in position by Vmeans 4of the vend Vof the sleeve engaging with the inner edge of the flange by a cover-plate 36 hav-ing guide flanges 87 thereon which guide .the valve by engagement with the outer edge of the flange 23 of the valve and also `form the inner wall of the :outlet cl-iam-` ber 6. The plate is made with fana-pertured projection .88 Vthrough which the rod passes. The aperture is preferably threaded to sengage with threads :cut .on the rods so that by rotation of the rod the valve may be moved. The usual cap, vpacking and packing wash-er are provided tor use 4in conjunction with the device. Asuitable handle 39 may be placed on the end of the rod and retained thereon Vby ya screw. The cover plate may be retained on the casing by means of screws i0 and a packing 11 is placed between the cover and the casing to prevent leakage of water.

The parts of the mixing valve may be made of any suitable material and of any Asize but they preferably have the relative proportions shown by the drawings. The valve is of general application for use in the mixing of two fluids and although the terms hot water and cold water and hot water chamber and cold water chamber have been used throughout the specification and claims, these terms are to be regarded as illustrative only to denote two different fluids which it may be desirable to thoroughly mix.

Although a particular and preferred form of the invention has been described, modification-s may be made and the invention is to be construed as broadly as the limitations in the claims, taken in conjunction with the prior art, may allow.

tionsysaid :sleeve-forming within ita unixing chamber ycommunicating with `rthe hot Water, cold water, and outlet openings, and a valvefhaving a portion within the sleeve for controlling the `flow tof' ho-t water and affportion exterior @to 1the sleeve to control cold water into the mixing chamber and the flow of water from the lmix-ing chamber. 2. A ,mixing valve comprising a. casing, two transverse ported partitions vdividing the. interiorfof the fcasinfg into hot water and outlet :chambers on reit'li'e'rfside Yof the partitions and 'a cold water chamber tbetween the partitions, an annular longitudinally extending sleeve stationarily mounted within gtfhe'ycorld water chamber forming within it*aWini'xin-gochamber, :the fopen endsv of the sleeve joining the two :partitions around the ports therein and said sleeve having .a pinrallity of vports through its wall-s adjacent the outlet -cliamber'and communicating with the cold water chamber, a valve having ya portion within thesleeve provided with ports ytherein to permit ythe passage of ,hot water rfrom the hotgwatter chamber-to the m-ixing` chamber, said lvalve controlling the flow' yolf `hot Water Yand lcold 'water into the mixinggchamber andthe lil-ow of water from the mixing ch'am'ber.;

. y3. A mixing valve comprising a casing having two transverse partitions dividing the interior thereof into three-chambers, one end lchamber constituting a hot water chamber, the other end chamber constituting an outlet chamber `and the intermediate chamber constituting a cold water chamber, a stionarily mounted cylindrical wall exv tending between said partitions and situated within lthe cold water, chamber, the space within said cylindrical wall constituting a mixing chamber, there being a port in each partition communicating with the mixing chamber and ports in said wall providing communication between the cold water chamber and the mixing chamber, and a valve device having a portion operating within the stationary cylindrical wall for controlling the flow of both hot water and cold water into the mixing chamber an-d also having a portion exterior to said cylindrical wall for controlling the flow of water from the mixing'chamber. y

4. A mixing valve comprising a casing, two transverse ported partitions dividing the interiorof the casing into hot water,

cold water and outlet chambers, an annular longitudinally extending ported sleeve stationarily situated within the cold water chamber forming within it a mixing chamber in line with the hot water chamber, which mixing chamber communicates at one end with the hot water and at the other end with the outlet chamber, and a valve having a port-ion within the sleeve for controlling the flow of hot water and cold water into the mixing chamber and a portion exterior to the sleeve to control the ilow of water from the mixing chamber, whereby the hot water flows longitudinally through the mixing chamber and the cold water Hows into the mixing chamber transversely of the flow of hot watery thereby obtaining a thorough mixing.

5. A mixing valve of the type recited in claim 4L in w ich the valve has a portion opposite the ports through which the col-d water enters the mixing chamber lying at an angle to the How of the cold water to assist in mixing the cold water with the hot water.

6. A mixing valve comprising a casing, two transverse ported partitions dividing the interior of the casing into hot water, cold water and outlet chambers, an annular longitudinally extending ported sleeve within the cold water chamber forming a mixing y chamber, a valve having a valve head within the sleeve for controlling the flow of hot water and cold water into the mixing chamber, said valve head fitting tightly against the inner walls of the sleeve to guide the valve, a guide flange carried by the casing, and a flange carried by the valve for controlling the flow of water from the mixing chamber and engaging the guide flange to guide the valve.

7. A mixing valve comprising a casing having two transverse partitions dividing it into three chambers, the central one o1' which constitutes a cold water chamber and one of the others constituting a hot water chamber and the other an outlet chamber, a stationary cylindrical wall within the cold Water chamber forming within it a mixing chamber, there being ports through said partitions into the mixing chamber and ports through said wall, and a valve device having two portions which control the portsy in the partitions and also having a piston portion controlling the ports in thecylindrical wall, said piston portion having ports therethrough.

8. A mixing valve comprising a casing provided with partitions which divide the casing into a hot water chamber, a cold water chamber, a mixing chamber and an outlet chamber, the cold water chamber and the mixing chamber being concentric with the cold water chamber entirely surrounding the mixing chamber, the partition between the cold water chamber and mixing chamber being provided with ports so distributed that cold water enters the mixing chamber from all sides, said partitions provi-ding a port from the hot water chamber which leads into the end of the mixing chamber and also providing a port between the mixing chamber and the outlet chamber, and a valve device having a portion controlling the iiow from the hot water cha-mber into the mixing chamber, another portion controlling the flow from the cold water chamber into the mixing chamber, and a third portion controlling the How from the mixing chamber 4to the outlet chamber.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this speciiication WILFRED J. ROULEAU.

Certificate of Correction.

It is hereby oertiiecl that in Letters Patent No. 1,556,632, gran-ted October 13, 1925, upon the application of Vilfrecl. J. Rouleau, of Quincy, Massachusetts, for an improvement in Mixing` Valves,7 an error appears in the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page 3, line 81, claim l, strike out the Words a portion exterior to the Sleeve to` control and insert the saine to follow after the Word and, line 82, in sanie claim g-ancl that the said Letters Patent should be read With this Correction therein that the saine may conforn'i to the record of the oase in the Patent Oiiice.

Signed and sealed this 10th clay of November, A. D. 1925.

[SEAL] WM.v A. KINNAN, v Acting ommz'ssz'oner of Patents. 

